


Truth and Consequences

by Skywinder



Series: Skyblaze Chronicles [4]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Family Secrets, Gen, Parent-Child Relationship, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-31
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-05-17 03:06:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5851663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skywinder/pseuds/Skywinder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All actions have consequences, both large and small.  While punishing his Creation for sneaking out, Starscream is forced to face both the knowledge that his past has cast a very long shadow, and the realization that he may one day have to face the consequences of his own actions.</p><p>Follows immediately after <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/5084488">Nameless</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Truth and Consequences

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and welcome to another installment of the Skyblaze Chronicles. After I wrote Nameless last October, I decided it might be fun to expand it and write a series surrounding the life of the young shuttle I introduced as Skyblaze in the Decepticrypt Challenge story.
> 
> This series is an only for fun one and will be updated when I'm not working on my other on-going projects. Updates will be sporadic.
> 
> Thank you to grayseeker for helping me with the title for this story.
> 
> * * *

_**Simba:** I was just trying to be brave like you._  
_**Mufasa:** I'm only brave when I have to be. Simba, being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble._  
_**Simba:** But you're not scared of anything._  
_**Mufasa:** I was today._  
_**Simba:** You were? _  
_**Mufasa:** Yes. I thought I might lose you._ \-- Quote from _The Lion King_

* * *

"Skyblaze."

The youngling in question flinched at the stern tone in his Carrier's voice.

After they'd made it back to the ship from the Crypt, his Carrier had dragged him right to his room and made it clear to the youngling that he was to _stay_ there until his punishment had been decided.

It had been a couple of joors since then, and Skyblaze had stayed right where he was, sitting on his berth, staring at the floor, not wanting to do anything that would upset his Creator even more than he was already. He hated worrying his Carrier. He was all his Carrier had...

That in mind, the young shuttle risked a glance up at his Carrier's face. It was closed, expressionless, and his optics were glowing brightly. His mouth was a stern line. His arms were crossed in front of his chest.

Skyblaze flinched again and looked back down at the floor. 

He _really_ was in trouble. The last time his Carrier had had that look on his face was a couple vorns ago when Octane had decided it would be a good idea to bet his ship in a race on Velocitron. Skyblaze could still remember how furious his Creator had been at Octane. He'd been so mad, he'd sent Skyblaze to his room so he wouldn't hear the argument. He never did find out how that race had gone, but he did know they'd had to stay on Velocitron for a while after that, and Octane had been pretty sheepish for a while.

Now he had that look turned on him...

Starscream, for his part, wasn't sure how to begin. He'd wakened from his recharge slightly earlier than he'd expected, and had gone to see if Skyblaze would be interested in just walking outside for a few kliks. While it wasn't safe to go exploring like the youngling had wanted, the buildings just around the ship were uninhabited, not even Empties seemed be living in them, so he decided to take the chance he wouldn't be seen. He'd noticed the disappointed look on Blaze's face when he'd been told "no" earlier, and felt this would be a way of making it up to his Creation.

Then he'd discovered that Skyblaze wasn't in his room.

At first, that hadn't worried Starscream, since he knew his youngling liked to spend time wandering the ship when he wasn't reading the datapads Octane had gotten for him, studying, or just having fun with his possessions. So he'd headed for the bridge...

And it had been on the way there that he'd found the ship's door wide open, a door he knew had been personally sealed by Octane when he'd left, and not once had the Triplechanger ever been careless enough to forget about doing that since the Seeker had become a passenger on his ship.

It had been at that point that Starscream had panicked, terrified that someone had finally hacked the lock and gotten aboard. He'd raced for the bridge and did a ship-wide scan which showed his mech Creation was nowhere to be found. Nor was there a trace of anyone else.

Fearing that Skyblaze had been taken, he'd gotten in touch with Octane immediately. It had taken Octane a breem to calm Starscream down and remind him of the Creation bond. After he'd done that, he'd returned to the ship and both went right out to search for the youngling, using the bond to track him. They'd eventually found him in the old Crypt the Decepticons had once used to entomb their dead.

The jet suppressed a shudder, remembering what Skyblaze had mentioned just before they'd left the place. It couldn't have been possible for _him_ to be there...

But the Seeker would think about it later. He had a disobedient youngling to deal with right now.

"First, I want to know what you were thinking, Skyblaze," he finally stated, his tone stern.

Skyblaze didn't lift his gaze from the floor. "I...just wanted to go exploring...," he whispered.

"You wanted to go exploring," Starscream repeated grimly. "You wanted to go exploring in a place _both_ Octane and I told you wasn't safe. So you snuck out while I was recharging, using the door codes that were _only_ supposed to be used in case of emergencies." He hadn't liked the idea of Octane giving the codes to a youngling in the first place, but had relented when the Triplechanger had pointed out that if an accident happened aboard ship while he was away, it would be a good idea for Skyblaze to know them so he could go get help.

Octane was none too pleased they'd been used for this purpose, however.

Skyblaze nodded glumly. "I didn't know there were Empties around, Carrier," he said, still softly, remembering what that ghost had told him. "I wouldn't have gone if I'd known about them."

Starscream just shook his head. "That doesn't matter," he stated firmly. "Octane and I both lived in Kaon during the war. And as he said to you earlier, Kaon had a reputation for being the most corrupt city on Cybertron even before the war. _We_ knew how dangerous it was, both through news feeds and our personal experience. And even now, there are those who live around here who wouldn't think twice about going after a youngling, particularly a nice-looking one like you. What made you _think_ you knew any better than either of us?!"

"But I didn't know how dangerous it was!" Skyblaze protested. "I didn't know because you didn't tell me _why_!"

He jumped off the berth and stood up straight in front of his Carrier, looking him right in the optics. "You never let me see anywhere on Cybertron when we come here. I just wanted to know what it looked like, even a little bit. You, Octane and Sire came from here, but I've never seen it. Why?" the young shuttle finished in a softer voice.

Starscream just gazed on that face, so much like Skyfire's, and felt himself relent a little. Skyblaze _did_ need to be punished for the sneaking off, but the youngling also had a point. They'd told him so much about Cybertron, the planet he'd never set foot on in his life, that of _course_ he'd want to see it personally eventually. And given his penchant for wanting to explore, it had probably become too great a temptation that he'd finally taken the first opportunity without thinking about the consequences. Rather like himself when he was a youngling.

 _Primus, I swear you were laughing at me when you decided to give me a Creation as impulsive as myself_ , he thought ruefully.

"I've never allowed you to set foot outside the ship whenever we come to Cybertron, as I felt it was the only way I could protect you, Blaze," he admitted out loud.

Skyblaze's optics widened. "What do you mean, Carrier?"

The Seeker frowned. He didn't want to lie to his mechling, but there were parts of his history that weren't fit for a youngling to hear. Octane told him once that he'd have to tell Skyblaze everything someday, which Starscream could concede as he would much prefer his Creation find out from him than someone else, but right now...

With a huff of air from his vents, he crouched down so that he was optic level with his Creation. "Skyblaze," he began seriously, "I have enemies from my time in the war. Mechs who believe me dead and would be willing to use anything they could against me as leverage should they find out I was still alive."

Skyblaze's optics widened even more. Carrier had _never_ even told him _that_ much about back then. He opened his mouth to ask more, then the words sank in, and he remembered what his Creator had said in the tomb when he'd found him...

Seeing the realization in his Creation's optics, Starscream smiled sadly and went on. "While the worst of them is dead, from what I've learned, quite a few still live, mostly on the side I fought against. I don't believe they'd hurt you," he said quickly, noting a tinge of fear in Skyblaze's optics, "but separating us, using you as a hostage for my good behavior...I do believe they'd do that. _That_ is why I've kept you from leaving the ship when we land here, and _that_ is why I was so terrified when I found you missing earlier."

Skyblaze nodded numbly, then he realized exactly what his Creator had said. "You were scared?"

Starscream gave his own nod. "I was." At the look of surprise on his Creation's face, he smiled wearily. "Skyblaze, believe it or not, I do get scared sometimes."

"What scares you, Carrier?"

"The thought of losing you," the jet said simply. "Skyblaze, you were born at a time when I was in a very dark place emotionally. You gave me something to live for when I needed it most. Your Sire died protecting me shortly after I learned I was Carrying you, and if I lost you the same way, or if you were taken from me by other means..." He reached out and laid his hands on his Creation's shoulders. "I wouldn't be able to take that, Blaze. I would prefer to lose you to a bondmate or partner one orn than either of those other alternatives."

The youngling lowered his gaze back to the floor, the full realization of what he'd done finally sinking in. "'M sorry," he whispered.

Starscream hugged his mechling. "I know, Blaze," he said softly. "I know."

"Am I still in trouble?"

Starscream released Skyblaze and stood up. "Yes, you are. While I do believe you've learned your lesson," he went on, as Skyblaze once more looked at the floor, "the fact remains you _did_ disobey my request to stay inside, and _did_ use the codes to get out that you were only supposed to use in emergencies. Octane made you promise that, as I recall."

Skyblaze flinched. Yeah, he had. "Is he really mad?"

"He isn't happy, Blaze. You damaged his trust in you. He wouldn't have given you those codes if he hadn't felt you'd earned the responsibility. And prior to him giving them to you, he promised me he would make sure you knew when and when not to use them."

Skyblaze's head shot up. "I won't sneak out again, though. Promise!"

Starscream gave a small, thin smile. "I'm sure you won't, as he's changed the codes. He said he would consider giving them to you again once your term of punishment was over."

The young shuttle's wings drooped and he once more found himself studying the floor. "I'll apologize," he whispered sadly.

Starscream nodded. "Yes, you will. And it had better be a meaningful apology. As for the rest...You'll be confined to the ship for the next thirty orns. There will be no leaving it at any point no matter where we stop during that time. And you will be helping me with the inventory."

Skyblaze nodded, a sinking feeling in his tanks. He didn't like the idea being kept on board the ship whenever they stopped, but he knew he'd earned that. But that also meant his Creator was stuck here, too, and he knew his Creator liked getting out whenever they _weren't_ on Cybertron. This would be punishment for him, too.

With another glum nod, he said, "Okay, Creator."

Starscream felt his Spark clench slightly at the misery visibly etched into Skyblaze's frame. Perhaps he should have just stuck with the lecture. After all, Blaze wasn't likely to sneak away again, not now that he knew the reasons behind his parent's reluctance to let him leave the ship...

Then again, lectures hadn't always worked with him, and Blaze was too much like him with that adventurous streak of his...

Still...

He shook his head. _Primus._ "Skyblaze. Look at me," he said firmly.

The blue and white youngling lifted his head slowly. When he'd met his parent's optics again, Starscream smiled sadly at the unhappiness he saw in his mechling's optics. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you my reasons sooner, Blaze. I should have, but I believed you were too young to know them yet. It was a misjudgment on my part, and I could have lost you because of it today."

"It's okay, Carrier," Skyblaze replied quickly, slightly startled by his Creator's apology.

"No, it's not," the elder flier replied firmly. "Blaze, I don't want this to happen again. I know I can't do anything about your desire to explore; it's in your coding, and you have too much of my spirit to even want to stop, even if it wasn't. So I'm going to tell you right now, if you have any questions about the rules Octane and I lay down, just _ask_. I promise, we'll give you what answers we can."

Skyblaze's optics widened. "Okay," he said, slightly awed by what his Creator had promised. "Can I ask while doing inventory?"

Starscream couldn't help himself. He laughed. As mercurial as he'd been once. Primus really had to be punishing him. "Yes, Skyblaze," he replied.

Deciding he'd been serious enough, the tri-color reached out for his Creation's hand. "Now that we've got everything settled, let's go get something to eat, and you can tell me all about your adventure," he stated.

With a grin, Skyblaze grabbed his parent's hand, and both headed down to the kitchen area.

As they made their way down the corridor, the youngling couldn't help but be struck by a thought:

_Maybe this whole grounding thing won't be so bad after all._


End file.
